We've all seen ads and PSAs saying "Cyberbullying needs to end!" And it does. But there are some people in this world that say they don't cyberbully when they really do... And to be completely honest, I'm not excluded from that group.
Cyberbullying has evolved from IM chat rooms. It has taken to platforms like Instagram. And it can be on any aspect of this social media platform from the DMs of Instagram to Instagram live.
What many don't realize is that cyberbullying doesn't have to occur on the specific platform. Seeing something on social media then speaking about it in a negative light off the platform evolves from cyberbullying into standard bullying.
Look, I get it. When you see someone on social media doing something stupid, singing along to a song off-key, or just being themselves, it's not our business and it shouldn't be our pleasure to talk negatively about the person. I mean, let's face it. We all lack a bit of grace at some point.
But why am I looped into all this? Because I used to be a part of a negative community that would hop on Instagram live every other night and watch this guy sing karaoke to songs. And then we would laugh. At him. And now he's graduating college. And I probably won't get the chance to apologize to him in person.
This is actually a complex issue because you don't want to hurt the guy's feelings by telling him he's not good at singing/rapping and you don't want to continue picking on him behind his back. So, I'm going to use really the only public forum I have where I can reach a lot of people.
This is a message to all people who bully people online, in person, or behind their backs.
Stop it.
It's not funny. No good comes from it. I've stopped. And I feel so much better for it. Let's all be decent human beings and realize that no one is perfect and we have no right to judge what other people think makes them happy.
